Building construction



Dec. 8,'1925. 1,564,648

E. E. VAN WIE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 24, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

HMC/75M# Mi Dec. 8, 1925' E. E. VAN WIE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 24, 1923 2`Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. VAN WIE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed September 24, 1923. Serial No. 664,401.

To aZZ lwhom t mag/concern: tion; Fig. t is a section on line 4-4, Fig. 3;

Be it known that I, Enrica E. VAN VIE, Fig. is a perspective view of one of the 50 a citizen of the United States, residing at building units; Fig. 6 is a section on line Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles 6 6, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view 5 and State of California, have invented a of a corner block; Fig. 8 is a section on certain new and useful Improvement in line 8 8, Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary Building Constructions, of which the folperspective view showing my invention em- 55 lowing is -a full, clear, and exact description, bodied in a floor or roof structure; Fig. 10 reference being had to the accompanying is a plan of a full length block; Fig. 11 is 10 drawings. a section on line 11-11, Fig. 10; Fig. 12 This invention relates to building blocks is a plan of a half block; Fig. 13 is a section or tile which are adapted to be arranged to on line 13-13, Fig. 12; Fig. 14:v is a sectional 60 form a wall or other building structure. View through a modified form of block; The general object of the invention is to Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a curved 15 provide an improved type of building block structure such as a silo embodying thel feaadapted for use in the building art and tures of my invention; Fig. 16 is atop plany wherein the units or blocks are of such a view of the silo; Fig. 17 is a plan of one 05 character that they can be quickly and easily of the units used in Vconstructing the silo; manufactured and assembled. Fig. 18 is a section on line 18-18,Fig. 17 20 One of the specific objects of the invention Fig. 19 is a plan view of a silo jamb block; is to provide a wall composed of a plurality Fig. 20 is a section on line 20-20, Fig. 19, of similar units so constructed that they may and Fig. 21 is a section of a tile taken 70 be inter-locked during assembly, after which through the fastening members. they may be united into a monolithic struc- Referring to the drawings by reference 25 ture. characters, I have shown at 10 a wall em- Another object of the invention is to pro bodying the features of my invention. As vide a building block which is composed illustrated, the wall is composed of a plu- 75 partially of wood and partially of cementirality of tilesv or blocks in which the main tious material so arranged that when a numbody of the Wallis composed of a plurality ber of blocks are assembled together in a of similar blocks 11. These blocks, as wall, the wooden portions form a conshown, comprise front and back members 12 tinuous insulating strip. and 14 and a pair of end members 15 and 80 An additional object of the invention is to 16. As illustrated, the front and back memprovide a building structure made of units bers are rectangular and have plane front comprising front and back members united and back faces. The end members 15 and by fastening elements and so constructed 16 likewise have plane front and back faces.

that the fastening members serve in the com- The end members have their inner ends 85 pleted structure to form reenforoement for 17 and 18 disposed in substantially the same cementitious material. plane as the plane of thel ends 19 and 2O of Further objects of the invention will be the front and back. The end members 15 apparent from the following description and 16 are secured to the front and back taken in connection with the accompanying by fastening members 21. Each of these 90 drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary fastening members comprises preferably a perspective view of a building structure metallic strip having one end secured in the embodying the features of my invention; front or back and having the other end Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1; secured in the end members.

Fig. 3 isa perspective detail showing a amb I now find that the` most economical con- Y block embodying the features of my invenstruction isto maketh@ endmembeyg 15 and 16 of wood'and to construct the front and back members of cementitious material such as concrete. The fastening members 21 may merely be nails or spikes driven into the end members and 16.

In constructing the units I first insert the fastening members or nails in the end members 15 and 16. After this, the front 12 may be cast so that the heads of the nails will be embedded therein. After the front has cured the partially formed block may be turned over and the back 14 may be formed. If desired, the front 12 may have a surface 22 thereon which may be made to simulate marble or other material as desired.

The blocks shown at 11 are used in building` the sides of the wall. Then the use of a jamb block is required, I prefer to use the one illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein the block comprises front and back portions 25 and 26 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The interlocking members for thejamb block are shown at 27 and 28. It will be noted that the inner end of the locking` block 27 is in the same plane as the plane of the ends of the blocks 25 and 26. The block 28 arranged with its outer face in the same plane as the plane of the outerfaces of the ends of the blocks 25 and 26. The front and back of the jamb block are united by members 2S) which are arranged and secured in a manner similar to that of the members 21 previously described. The use of one of the jamb blocks embodying the features described is shown at A, Fig. 2 of the drawing.

A corner block embodying the features of my invention is shown at 30 in Figs. 7 and S. This block preferably includes an angle member 31 and apair of locking members 32 and 33 which are joined by fastening members 34. The inner faces of the blocks 32 and 33 are preferably arranged in the same plane as the plane of the ends cit the angle member 31.

The fastening members 34 which unite the portions of the corner block as well as the fastening members 29 which serve to unite the portions of the amb block are preferably of the same character as the fastening me1uber 21 previously described and theji7 a re preferably spaced from the top and bottom of the jamb block and corner block in the same manner as described for the fastening members 21.

Referring to Fig. 9, I here show the use of my invention as applied to the floor or ceiling of a building structure. Instead of lay ing the blocks with the front and back faces 12 and 14 in a vertical plane I lay these blocks with their faces horizontal and with their interlocking portions 15 and 16 interlocking in the manner previously described..

Suitable reenforcing means may be provided in any of the structures and as iilus trated in Fig. vsuch reenforcement may be a metal rod 2133 which is spaced between 'the insulating members 15-16 and the outer portion 14. The cementitious material such as concrete may be inserted in the space between the center member and the portions 1:2 and 14 by using a cement gun which is well known in the art.

Referring to Figs. 10 and 11, I here sluier a block which is adapted to be used ...s a full unit in constructing my wall while in Figs. 12 and 13 I show a half-block. In Fig. 13 it will be noted that in order to provide reenforcement for the front and back members, I indicate a wire 40 wrapped about the ends of the fastening members 21. It will be noted from Fig. 13 that the front 12 of the block is made of a single piece of man teri al instead of two united layers as shown in Fig.

In Fig. 14 I show a modified form of my invention wherein a block similar to the block previously described is illustrated. This block comprises a front and back 12l and 14 and end members 15a and 16, A fastening member for uniting the front and back to the ends is shown as a metal hoop 41 which is cast into the front and back 12 and 14 and which passes through apertures in the end members 15 and 16. As an added reenforcement, I may coil a wire 45 about the portion of the hoop 41 which is embedded in the .front and back 12 and 145% My invention is particularly adapted for the building of silos particularly an account of the ease of manufacturing the various units and the fact that the insulating members may be made of waste lumber and also on account of the fact that the device is very economical and can be easily erected by unskilled labor. An illustration of my invention embodied in a silo is shown in F 13 and 16. The silo here shown is made of a plurality of interlocking tiles comprising whole units and half units which are shown in detail in Figs. 17 and 1S. I prefer to con struct the front and back 5() and 51 of each unit with curved front 'faces although planar faces may be used in building a silo, if desired. rIhe end members 52 and 53 are preferably plane on both front and back and are united to the front and back by fastening members 54 in a manner previously described so that the units can be placed one upon the other.

Referring to Figs. 19 and 20, I here show a jamb block for use in a silo. This block is similar to the jamb block shown in Fig. l and comprises front and back members and 56 and locking members 57 and 58 secured to the front and back by fastening members 59. Y

In the manufacture of tile such as described, I may construct the front and back members of plaster, cement, clay, or other material although I prefer material which may befmolded. I may construct the interlocking members of wood or ofy cement, clay or other -material;. rlhe fastening` members may be spikes, bolts,.wire or other means. 'llie simplicity of my invention allows a wide choice of materials to bemade while at the same time the cost of manufacture will below. i

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A building tile adapted to be placed in a wall, said tile comprising separately formed front and back portions and separately formed interlocking members ar ranged intermediate the front and back portions and secured thereto, said interlocking members projecting beyond the front and back portions at each end of the tile.

2. A wall comprising a structure made from a plurality of tiles, each tile comprising independent front and back members joined to an independent intermediate member, said front, back and intermediate inembers being spaced apart, a plurality of fastening members secured to the intermediate members, said fastening members being angularly arranged with respect to the front and back members and secured to the front and back members, said fastening members serving to hold said front, back and intermediate members in spaced relation and to interlock said members in the wall.

3. A building tile adapted to be placed in a wall, said tile comprising two rectangular planar portions constituting the front and the back of the tile, a pair of interlocking members secured to said front and back and spaced from said front and back, said interlocking members being spaced apart laterally.

fl. A wall constructed from unitary blocks, each block comprising front and back members formed of cementitious material, interlocking members on each end of each block, said interlocking members having plane parallel faces and being spaced from the inside of said front and back members, and a filling of cementitious material between said interlocking members and the front and back members, the interlocking members in each unit being spaced apart laterally.

5. A wall comprising a plurality of units each including pre-cast front and back members, interlocking connecting members secured to the sides of said front and back members and laterally arranged with respect thereto, said connecting members having their front and back faces in substantially parallel planes and forming a substantially continuous strip and a filling of cementitious material between the connecting members and the front and back members.

6. A building tile adapted to be placed in a wall, said tile comprising two rectangular portions constituting the front andthe backof the tile, an end memberprojecting beyond each end of said front and back and having plane parallel front andl back faces and connected thereto by means spaced from the top ofthe front and back, said`end members being of less-thickness than the space between-the vfront andbaclci 7. A building tile adapted to be placed in a wall and comprising a rectangular portion constituting the front of thetile and a pair of end members, one disposed at each side of said front and connected thereto by means spaced from the top of the front, the total width of the end members being substantially equal to the width of the front, said end members having their inner faces in substantially the same plane as the plane of the ends of the front portion.

8. A building tile adapted to be placed in a wall and comprising four members, the front and back of each member being plane and having all members positioned in parallel planes spaced apart, the end of said members being plane, the outer ends of certain of said members being in the same plane as the inner ends of other members and means to hold all the members in the said relation.

9. A building tile adapted to be placed in a wall and comprising two rectangular p0rtions constituting the front and the back of the tile, a pair of end members, one disposed at each side of said front and back and connected thereto by means spaced from the top of the front and back, the total width of the two end members being substantially equal to the width of the front and back, said end members having their inner faces in 'substantially the same plane as the plane of the ends of the front and back members.

l0. A building tile comprising two portions constituting the front and the back of the tile, a pair of end members, one disposed at each side of said front and back members and connected to those members by reenforcing means spaced from the top and bottom of the tile, said end members having their inner facesiir substantially the same plane as the plane of the ends of the front and back members, said reenforcing means being adapted to coact to support the front and back when the parts are assembled.

11. A wall constructed from a plurality of tiles, each of said tiles comprising two rectangular members constituting the front and the back, and a pair of ends, one disposed at each side of said front and back members and connected to those members by means spaced from the top and bottom of the tile, the total width of said ends being substantially equal to the width of the front or back, said connecting means being adapted to coact to support the front and back when the parts are assembled, said ends forming a continuousstrip spaced from the front and back and a filling of cementitious material between said ends, and the inner surface of the front and back members.

12. A wall built of a plurality of similar units, each unit comprising a body portion having parallel front and back members and parallel end members, means connecting,`

the front and back and the end members,

saidfmeans being spaced from the ends of all my signature.

ELMER E. VAN WIE. 

